Nate B wrote:

snip

I was considering a 20" planer, but now thinking a smaller portable type
planer to dimension stock, then a wide sander for after gluing might be a
better deal. I don't have the space in my shop for a large planer and a
sander.

If the lumber has been dimensioned well on a small planer, then glued to
make wider panels, is there any compelling use for the wider planer at this
point over making the final passes on a sander? Seems the Performax sander
could do 32" at this point versus being limited to 20" by what most consider
to be a pretty large planer.


You're right. If the stock has been dimensioned right and glued up
into
wider FLAT panels, you won't need a wide planer. The wide sander's
nice
if the glue up got misaligned a little. Be aware that the 16-32's
only
do 16 widths. You turn the piece around and get the other half on the
second pass - IF the drum and the feed table/belt are parallel. If
not you get a high spot in the middle or worse, a low valley in the
middle.

IOW - what do you use your wider planer for besides cleaning up glued
boards?


Weathered wood that I want to use for a kids' project which has or
might have dirt and sand on it. Raise hell with planer knives.

Thin stock that, without a support sled, would be dangerous to run
through a planer

Wild grained wood that'd tear out in the planer. I've got some oak
that's hard as hell with grain running in every direction.

Wide drum sander is also handy if you're doing frame and panels.
It's so easy to get the frame a smidge above or below the panel
top. Drum sander solves that problem. Some people do the face
frame of ply cabinets first and then cut the ply to fit, using
the face frame to hold ply parts in position. Minor variations
in face frame stock thickness get sanded to a single plane in
a pass or two.

I've heard that your planer should be at least twice the width of your
jointer. Any compelling reason I'm missing other than some sort of
efficiency in gluing up wide panels? The jointer is 8".


Never could understand that one. 4, 6 and 8 inch jointers are
readily available but try finding an 8 or 16 inch planer. The
combination machines make more sense - the same cutter head
is used for the jointer and the planer. As a bonus they usually
have a chuck on the end of the cutter head for a horizontal
boring/moritser.

I'm looking at building a few dressers, desks and bookshelves in my
foreseeable future. Maybe some kitchen cabinets if I ever find the time.


You wanting to do solid wood furniture, face framed ply cabinets
or some combination of the two?

Thanks,

charlie b